Volume control device



0ct. 2, 1945.V A. KEMPToN i 2,386,051

VOLUME CONTROL DEVICE n l Filed April 7, 1945 Inventor-i by ,ff/M75M A' His Atboweg.

Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED STATES VOLUME CONTR/GL DEVICE Leslie A. Kempton, Chicago, lll., assignor .to Edison General Electric Appliance Co., Inc., e cago, Ill., a corporation of NewYork Application April 7, 1943, Serial No. 482,183

comme. (o1. 50-14)` Q This invention relates to volume control devices, more particularly to such devices for controlling the ilow of a fluid, such as water, so that a predetermined quantity `is passed within a given unit of time, irrespective of fluctuations in the fluid pressure on the supply side of the device, and it has for its object theV provision of a device of this character which is simple and inexpensive in construction and reliable and eitl-` cient in its operation.

In accordance with this invention in one form thereof, the device comprises a housing having an intake for the uid to be measured and an outlet for discharging the fluid. A piston is arranged in the housing having one side exposed to the pressure of the fluid entering the inlet, together with means for loading the other side of the piston to resist its movement in the housing by the pressure of the uid entering the housing. Therefore, the piston will assume various positions within the housing dependent upon the pressure of the ilui-d entering the housing. The piston is constructed and arranged tov control the effective area of the outlet opening in response to its movement Vso that the quantities of uid passed through ,the device within a given unit of time are substantially the same, irrespective of the variations in the `pressure on the inlet side, within a predetermined pressure range.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should` be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a volume control device embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device looking at it from the right-hand side of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through a portion of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown as applied to a liquid volume control device for measuring a xed quantity of water to be fed to a dishwashing machine, which has not been illustrated. The device comprises a housing or casing Iii having at its lower end, as viewed in Fig. 1, an inlet opening II. In a, side wall at right angles to the opening I I there is a discharge opening I2. The housing is threaded as indicated at I3 and I4 so that suitable inlet and outlet pipe connections may be made with the housing at the inlet and outlet openings II and I2.

The housing further is provided with a longitudinal cylindrical chamber I5 in which reciprocates a cylindrical piston I6. 'I'he piston comprises a head I1 at its upper end and a cylindrica1 section la depending'fmm the'heady so that the bottom surface of the piston head is exposed to the inlet opening "II. Therefore, the pres` sure of the liquid on the supply side o f the device operates uponthe headand tends to force the piston upwardlywithin a chamber I5.

` The Kchamber I5 is closed at the top `by means of a gasketlg which may be formed of any suit-V able material,"such`\ as rubber. pAnd above this gasket are mounted relatively strong and light springs 29 and ZI which resist the upward lrnrwement of the piston by thejfluidentering the device. The spring lZI in interposed between platelikefspring seats, 22and 23, the' formerbeing located at the top our the springend" thellatter being secured to the pistonll in any' suitable way as by means of a depending stud 24* threaded into the piston. The two seats are provided with projecting spring guides 25 andgZl,` asshown. The second spring 2 0 is located above the seat 22,r having one end bearing' against thisfseat, and having its other end bearingagainst ajcap 21 which encloses the two spring members. This cap 21 has a threaded connection 23 with the body member I0. Y e

It` will be understood that inasmuch'as` the spring 2| is relatively weakerfthanthespring 2D, when the inlet pressures are low, the ,weak spring 2| initially controls the movement of the piston upwardly as the iluid pressure increases. As the fluid pressure rises and the piston moves further in its upward direction lthe stronger spring 2li begins to take eiect and at a predeterminedl high pressure, the resistance` to the movement of the piston rapidly increases, How-f ever, for any particular pressure the piston will assume a denite` position within `the housing I D.

The cylindrical section I8 fof the piston is provided Witha lateral port 25J` which registers with the opening I2. The opening I2 and the portr have such shapes that for any given pressure at the intake side of the device the piston will bemoved to such a position that the same quantity of uid will flow through the opening I2 per unit of time. In other words, the same quantity of `fluid will be passed through the device in any given period of time, irrespective of the pressure at the inlet side, within a predetermined pressure range. In the particular device illustrated the outlet opening I2 is in the main circular butY at the top it is closed by a straight edge 30 which is formed on a secant-shaped section 3| at the top of the opening. 'Ihe port 29, as shown, is dened by a substantially rectangular-shaped section 32 at the top, the bottom of this section terminating in a section 33 having sides tapering inwardly towards each other toward the bottom of the section I8 and which in turn at the bottom terminates in a vertically positioned rectangular section 34.

The parts are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 at the lowest inlet pressure. It will be observed that as the pressure of the uid increases and the piston moves upwardly that rst off all the rectangular section 32 will be greatly decreased as this section rides up over the edge 30. When therbottom of'this section is cut off by the edge 30 the elective area of port 29 rather abruptly' decreases and it gradually decreases until the bottom edge of the section 3.3 is cut on by the n neuiar embodiment of the invention illustrated Were determined empirically.

The particular shapes are such that there is a much larger effective discharge area at the opening I2 for low pressures than for high pres,- sures as has been explained. It is for this reason that it is necessary to. have a considerably greater movement per unit of pressure change at the lower inlet pressures than per unit of pressure change at the higher inlet pressures. And it is. for this reason also thatl the light spring 2l. has been provided to resist movement of the piston when operating within the low pressure. range and the relatively strong spring 2l) has been provided to resist movement of the piston when operating Within the high pressure range.. Y

It is possible to use but a` Single resisting spring instead of two springs 2n and 2l', but where a single ,spring is used a much longer spring must be used which greatly mcreases the bulkiness and size of the device, and in addition it is .diicult to form a, single spring which-will give the varying resistance that` is desired,

The use of the two springs providing for the varying movement of the piston per iinit of pressure. change within the low and high prese sure ranges has made it possible to, `use the relatively simple shape of vdischarge.inert 2,9 in the piston.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of

course, that I do -not wish to be limited thereto since many 'modications may be made, and f1,

therefore, contemplate by :the appended claims terior and a `portin the side wall ithereof registering with said outlet opening, and the piston positionedwith reference to said inlet opening so that the liquid flows into the piston and out through its port and said outlet opening, the pressure of said liquid biasing said piston in one direction, said outlet opening having a straight edge at its side that is remote from said inlet opening and said port generally increasing area as it approaches said edge, a relatively light spring resisting the movement of said piston in said one direction by the pressure of said liquid, a relatively heavy spring functioning as an abutment for saidllght spring and riurther resisting movement of said piston in said. one direction, said light spring permitting greater movement per unit pressure change at the lower pressures when the flow is through the large eective discharge area afforded by tering with said outlet opening, and the piston positioned with reference to said inlet opening so that the liquid flows into the piston and out through its port and said outlet opening,

the pressure .of said liquid biasing said piston in one direction, said outlet opening having a straight edge at said side that is remote from said inlet opening and said port having a substantially rectangular shaped section located at the end of said port that is remote from said inlet opening and extending crosswise thereof, said rectangular section merging into a seco-nd tapered section hav-ing 'sides tapering inwardly from each other as they approach said inlet opening, a relatively light spring Yresisting the movement of said piston in said one direction by the pressure of said liquid, a relatively heavy spring functioning as an abutment for said relatively light spring and further resisting movement of said piston in said one direction, said light spring permitting" greater movement per u-nit pressure change at the lower pressures when the -rlow is through the large eiective discharge area afforded by said rectangular and tapered sections, and s aid heavier spring resisting movement of said piston when said effective discharge area is reduced at the higher pressures, all so that the quantity of liquid permitted to flow through said device per unit of time is substantially constant, irrespective of the magnitude of said liquid pressure Vwithin a predetermined pressure range.

LESLIE A. KEMPTO1\I. 

